Protests against RTI changes in Mumbai, Delhi

August 08, 2006 14:37 IST

Protests are snowballing against the proposed amendments to the Right to Information Act that activists say dilute the spirit of the legislation.

In New Delhi, singer Palash Sen and his group Euphoria will stage dharnas and demonstrations at Jantar mantar till August 25, when the current session of Parliament is slated to end, to protest the proposed amendments.

In Mumbai, activists have hit upon a novel way to express their anger over the amendments.

On August 9, the anniversary of the Quit India call, protestors will converge on August Kranti Maidan, from where the historic call went out 64 years ago, wearing a black cape with the protest message inscribed on it. "We will only assemble there, we will not raise slogans or give speeches," said Shailesh Gandhi, who has been spearheading the Right to Information movement in Mumbai. The protestors hope their silent presence in numbers will send out a message to the administration.

Elsewhere in Mumbai, too, various protests have been planned. Street plays will be held at railway stations to make the public aware of the issue, and college students have volunteered to hold protest placards for three days.

A public meeting has been organised by the Catholic Sabha on August 14 at Portuguese Church in Dadar in central Mumbai.

"Even if we are unable to halt the amendments from being incorporated into the law, our protests will continue till they are withdrawn," an activist said.